PHOTO © CHARLES CONNOR 2003
The Applachians
Executive produced by Mari-Lynn C. Evans
Written and directed by Phylis Geller
STUDY GUIDE
A GUIDE TO THE FILM FOR TEACHERS AND DISCUSSION LEADERS
PHOTO © CHARLES CONNOR 2003
Introduction from Carl Pope,
Sierra Club executive director
www.sierraclub.org
For information on
ordering the VHS
or DVD copy of
The Appalachians, the
companion book, or
The Appalachian Mountains have been called America’s “first
frontier.” Today, as the film The Appalachians vividly documents
mountaintop removal and strip mining continue to scar the land.
Mountains are leveled, old growth forests are logged, drinking
water is polluted and hollows and homes are rendered unsafe.
The legacy that belongs to our children is literally being blasted
away, one storied mountain at a time. The Appalachians documents the high and human costs of irresponsible mining practices and serves as an inspiring reminder that this region is a part
of every American’s heritage and should be proudly protected.
the CD of music from
Carl Pope
the series, visit the
- Sierra Club Executive Director
website at
http://sierraclub.org/
appalachia/
The Appalachians
1
Filmmakers introduction to study guide
The story of the brave pioneers who settled the Appalachian mountains is the story
of America: immigration, settlement, the Revolution and the Civil War, the growth of
industry and the use and abuse of land.
Executive producer Mari-Lynn C. Evans was born in West Virginia, and is committed
to preserving the history of her region.
Mari-Lynn Evans: “I am proud of my heritage. As a child, I knew how important the
land was to us. Our daily life day centered on feeding the cattle, plowing the bottom to
plant crops, baling hay, or other farm chores. I still remember walking in the garden
and the feel of the warm soil under my feet, the way tomatoes taste right off the vine,
and the joy of jumping into the cool river that first warm day of spring. The land was
a part of you.
We couldn’t forget those that came before us as we walked among the Indian burial
grounds and when arrowheads and tomahawks were brought to the surface during
plowing time. The evenings spent listening to Pop-Pop tell stories about our ancestors
and the hard work it took to make a home on this land. The heartbreak when the family
land was taken to be dammed for a lake. “
Phylis Geller: “When Mari-Lynn invited me to join her on this project, we shared the
goal of linking the past and present, showcasing a distinct culture that remains active
and vital today. Appalachia has had a great impact on American music, folklore and
culture, giving birth to what we know today as country music. Mountain people recorded their history in story and song: Each song on the soundtrack of the series was
carefully chosen because the lyrics help move the story forward.”
We believe the story of Appalachia can teach a great deal about the social, cultural
and economic history of America. Appalachia has been closely tied to the nation’s economic fate – in particular, the roller coaster cycles of boom and bust with coal, timber
and steel. The mountains held great natural riches, which were extracted to provide
energy for the growing country. There was little planning for sustaining or replenishing
the land. Coal mining offered jobs to struggling farmers, but ownership of the land
moved into the hands of outsiders. The wealth of the region did not flow back to the local people. Even today, battles continue over strip-mining and mountain-top removal,
as well as struggles to improve the living standards of people in the remote mountain
hollers.
Mari-Lynn Evans: “Something in those mountains becomes part of your soul. After
leaving there almost 30 years ago, when I go back I still tell my son I am going “down
home.” For me, Appalachia will always be home. It is where I was born and where I
will be buried. And even if I never see it again, the house in Bulltown, West Virginia, is
what I see in my dreams.”
We hope you enjoy and benefit from the study guide. Take care of our Appalachia. It
is a special place.
Mari-Lynn Evans, Executive Producer
Phylis Geller, Writer/Producer
The Appalachians
2
THE APPALACHIANS: TEACHER GUIDE
A Land Shaped by the People. A People Shaped by the Land.
“…the first American
frontier. It is a landscape,
a culture, a frame of
mind.” (Program 1,
00:01-00:18)
CONTENTS
Overview, Target Grades and Instructor Prep
Ordering Information
UNITS
1. History & Place
2. People
3. Music
4. Take Action!
PROGRAM SUMMARIES
• Program 1: 1650 – 1800
• Program 2: 1800 - 1920
• Program 3: 1920 – Today
ACADEMIC BENCHMARKS
OVERVIEW
Appalachia is deeply rooted in American history, culture and music. The mountains and hollows of Appalachia marked the
western boundary of colonial America-- a daunting barrier between the east coast and the lands “out west.” The isolation
in the mountains also helped preserve traditional forms of music, and fostered close family ties and love of the land. Today,
Appalachia’s land, air, and water are threatened by logging, coal-fired power plants, and mountaintop removal mining.
The units in this Teacher’s Guide explore the place/history, people and music of Appalachia, using video and audio clips
from the three-part public television series, The Appalachians, as a resource for student learning. Students are encouraged
to investigate contemporary environmental issues in Appalachia and Take Action. Each unit contains an overview, lesson
objectives, materials list and instructor prep suggestions. The three programs in the series are summarized, and a list of the
songs used in the series (with time codes) are among the resources available to help teachers find the specific clips they need.
TARGET GRADES
Lessons are targeted for grades 9-12, but can be adapted for younger and older students.
MATERIALS
See each unit for more detailed material lists.
• VHS or DVD copy of The Appalachians
• TV and VCR or DVD Player
• For the Music Unit: the soundtrack CD, The Appalachians (Dualtone Records)
• Suggested: the companion book to the series, The Appalachians: America’s First and Last Frontier;
Edited by Mari-Lynn Evans (the film’s executive producer), Robert Santelli, and Holly George-Warren; ©2004,
Random House; IBSN 1-4000-6186-5, $29.95.
ORDERING INFORMATION
To order the VHS or DVD copy of The Appalachians, the companion book, or the CD of music from the series,
see the web site for the Sierra Club (http://sierraclub.org/appalachia/).
The Appalachians
3
THE APPALACHIANS:
PROGRAM 1 SUMMARY (1650 –1800)
Use this short summary to find specific program clips.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
WHERE is Appalachia? (4:53-5:50)
MAP of Appalachia (5:26-5:50)
“Before the Europeans
arrived, Appalachia was
home to…Shawnee,
Choctaw and Creek…but
the dominant tribe was
the Cherokee.” (6:42)
SHAWNEE, CHOCTAW, CREEK AND CHEROKEE TRIBES
• Cherokee culture, farmers. (6:42-7:55)
• Prominent role of Cherokee women. (7:56)
• Clans, kinship, war, Europeans marrying into tribes. (8:24-10:31)
THE SCOTS-IRISH
• 1730: immigration from Germany, England, Wales and the most
prominent immigrants, the Scots-Irish. (11:38)
• History of the Scots-Irish in Europe. (12:28)
• Whiskey making. (16:54)
• Scots-Irish bring their traditional music with them. (17:35-23:48)
OUT “WEST”
• Daniel Boone explores the wilds of Kentucky. (25:20)
• British forbid settlers to move west. The Cherokee are angered that the
settlers keep moving west and see British as their allies. (24:38-28:14)
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
• Role of the Scots-Irish in the Revolutionary War. (29:57)
• “Over-Mountain Men” of Tennessee. (30:37)
• Cherokee are betrayed by the British. (28:50-32:00)
WHISKEY TAX
• One of the big challenges to George Washington’s government —
the Whiskey Tax Rebellion, 1791-1794. (33:14-36:00)
MUSIC
• Ballads are story songs. (19:55)
• Troubadours in England. (20:06)
• American ballads have a moral message. (22:13)
• Isolation keeps music undiluted. (24:10)
• Verses of “Banks of the Ohio” are sung by Chris Jones,
Rosanne and Johnny Cash, and Clarence Ashley. (21:51-23:50).
• Verses of “Barby Allen” are sung by “an old Scots Lady” and
Frank Profitt. (16:34-19:53).
“In many mountain
churches, religion is
intensely physical and
emotional. People
continue to practice
religious exercises that
date back hundreds of
years.” (37:43)
RELIGION and MUSIC
• Religious diversity. (36:13-44:32)
• Religion is physical and emotional. (38:00)
• Religious sects. (37:43-40:23)
• Evangelical revivals. (40:53-44:32)
• Religious music, lined-out hymns, shape-note music, and the roots
of country, gospel and bluegrass. (44:44 – end of program)
The Appalachians
4
SONGS IN PROGRAM 1
Short clips of many more songs are heard in each program.
Song
East of River Shannon (title theme)
Artist
Arlene Faith
Time code
00:01-1:10
Foggy Mountain Top
Marty Stuart
2:09-2:25
Cherokee Quail Dance
Quail Flute
Corn and Women
Ritual Dance
Old Cumberland
6:55-9:14
Ponder
Ramblin’ Boy
Corn Licker
Boiled Cabbage
12:00-15:25
16:33-16:51
Barbry Allen
“Old Scots Lady”
18:34-18:57
Barbry Allen
Frank Profitt
19:29-19:53
Banks of the Ohio
Chris Jones
21:51-22:26
Banks of the Ohio
Rosanne & Johnny Cash
22:40-23:06
Banks of the Ohio
Clarence Ashley
23:20-23:40
Road to Kaintuck
June Carter Cash, Johnny Cash
25:00-25:18
Booze Fighters
Gandy Dancer
33:07-35:37
Rock of Ages (hummed)
38:50-39:39
Amazing Grace (violin instrumental)
Rose Bell
44:32-46:14
Workin’ on a Building
Bill Monroe
49:24-50:15
Soldier of the Cross
Ricky Skaggs
50:24-52:20
Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies
52:00-53:20
The Appalachians
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THE APPALACHIANS:
PROGRAM 2 SUMMARY (1800-1920)
Use this short summary to find specific program clips.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
“The idea was to
obliterate Indian culture
so that Indian people
as individuals could be
assimilated into the
United States.” (2:06)
TRAIL OF TEARS
• 1808: Thomas Jefferson and “assimilating” the Indian tribes. (1:32)
• 1820: Successful Cherokee farmers are envied by white settlers. (2:06)
• Cherokee farmers are slave owners. (2:30)
• President Andrew Jackson, a Scots-Irish from Carolina, supports the removal
of the Cherokee to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. (4:00)
• Five thousand Cherokee die on the Trail of Tears. (5:20-7:40)
CIVIL WAR
• Slavery in Appalachia. (8:00 – 10:25)
• John Brown, Abolitionists at Harpers Ferry, 1859. (10:37 – 13:02)
• Brother against brother, Antietam. (12:33 – 18:27)
FEUDS AND STEROTYPES
• Hatfields and McCoys. (18:54 – 27:00)
• Hillbilly stereotype. Industrialists coming to region blame “backward culture”
for violence. (27:10 – 28:04)
“…companies came to
realize that they didn’t
have to acquire the
surface rights…that they
could sever the surface
rights from the mineral
rights…” (30:15)
COAL
• Railroads come through the Appalachians for sole purpose of extracting raw
materials—timber first, and then coal. (29:00-30:30)
• Timber gone in a single generation. (29:00)
• Investors buy the mineral rights to land. (30:11 – 31:13)
• New wave of immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe, African Americans
from the South. Mine owners encourage racism. (31:42-32:52)
• The company store. (33:45-35:40)
• Mine disasters, song “West Virginia Mine Disaster”, Jean Ritchie.
(36:00-39:44)
• Strikes: Cabin Creek, Paint Creek, Mother Jones, Harry Hatfield.
(40:16-46:13)
• World War I, Matewan Massacre, Smilin’ Sid Hatfield. (46:38-end)
SONGS IN PROGRAM 2
Short clips of many more songs are heard in each program.
Song
East of River Shannon (title theme)
Artist
Arlene Faith
Whay Ha Whay
We’re Stole and Sold from Africa
Time code
00:20-1:00
1:28-2:10
Addie Graham
8:00-8:48
North and South
Battle of Antietam/Two Brothers
13:03-17:40
Code in the Mountains
18:44-26:53
Dark as a Dungeon
Jeff Black
35:36-37:10
West Virginia Mine Disaster
Jean Ritchie
37:11-39:44
Which Side Are You On?
Pete Seeger
51:24-52:20
Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies
52:21-53:20
The Appalachians
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THE APPALACHIANS:
PROGRAM 3 SUMMARY (1920-Today)
Use this quick overview to find specific program clips.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
“In the 20th century,
these mountain people
took their stories and
songs and created a
phenomenon in popular
culture…the music
we think of today as
‘country’ has roots that
go back hundreds of
years.” (00:31)
INSTRUMENTS
• Irish fiddle, German dulcimer, Italian mandolin, Spanish guitar, African banjo.
(1:43)
• Blending of African and American tradition. (2:29)
• Appalachian String band: fiddle, banjo, guitar. (3:10)
RADIO and RECORDING
• Coming of radio. (4:10-7:58)
• 1925—80-year-old Uncle Jimmy Thompson plays mountain music on his fiddle
live on radio station WSM. Beginning of the Grand Old Opry. (7:58-11:00)
• “Hillbilly music” insulting to the mountain people. Music came to be called
“country.” (10:15)
• First recording artists: Jimmie Rogers, Carter Family. (11:15-14:05)
• Radio preachers yesterday and today. (21:11-25:23))
GREAT
•
•
•
“It was more than
the land…we lost the
community. We lost the
people.” (39:27)
“The whole top of the
mountain is…literally
blown apart…and are
washed down into these
hollows…you have this
big open wound.” (42:06)
DEPRESSION
President Roosevelt comes to Appalachia. (17:02)
CCC, WPA, TVA (18:37-21:11)
TVA and Electrification (19:39-21:25)
THE PLACE TO LEAVE
• After World War II, economy and opportunities dry up, families leave. The
“Hillbilly Highway.” (26:16-30:27)
• Families leave, but come back. (29:39-31:30)
WAR ON POVERTY, STEREOTYPE OF THE RURAL POOR
• John Kennedy, 1960. (34:04)
• Walter Cronkite. (35:13)
• LBJ and War on Poverty. (36:00)
• Charles Kuralt, “Christmas in Appalachia.” (36:46)
• VISTA Program. (37:42)
COAL
•
•
Strip Mining. (31:44 – 33:20)
Mountaintop Removal. (41:05 – 44:55)
The Appalachians
7
SONGS IN PROGRAM 3
Short clips of many more songs are heard in each program.
Song
East of River Shannon (title theme)
Artist
Arlene Faith
Time code
00:01-00:15
OPENING SEQUENCE
Ricky Skaggs
That’s Why I’m Country
Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton
Country Music Association
(CMA) Performance
You’re Looking at Country
Loretta Lynn
Country Music Association
(CMA) Performance
Pretty Little Miss
Jean Ritchie
1:34-1:54
Little Old Cabin in the Lane
Uncle John Scruggs
(with banjo and dancing kids)
2:05-3:05
Hillbilly Fever
Osborne Brothers
9:51-11:13
Waiting for a Train
Jimmie Rogers
11:29-11:47
Bury Me Deep Beneath the Willow
Carter Family
12:51-13:09
How Can a Poor Man
Stand Such Times and Live?
Blind Alfred Reed
14:13-15:00
Soldier of Joy
(Soldier’s Joy)
FDR listening to local musicians
17:02-17:13
Electricity
Paul Burch
19:57-21:23
When This World Comes to an End
(I Believe in Being Ready)
Maggie Hammons
23:13-23:58
Keep on the Sunny Side
Carter Family
25:23-26:13
Going Nowhere Fast
Blue Plate Special
28:28-29:07
I Wonder How the Old Folks
Are at Home
Mac Wiseman
30:17-30-34
Black Waters
Jean Ritchie
31:13-32:17
Price of Progress
Jason Ringenberg
38:19-41:17
East of River Shannon
Arlene Faith
44:18-46:52
Coal Miner’s Daughter
Loretta Lynn
47:42-48:04
Cabin on the Hill
Flatt and Scruggs
48:35-49:40
Forty Shades of Green
Rosanne and Johnny Cash
51:35-52:47
00:15-00:30
Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies
52:47-53:20
The Appalachians
8
Songs in the Companion CD
The Appalachians (Dualtone Records)
East River of Shannon (title theme)
Arlene Faith
East River of Shannon (Instrumental)
Arlene Faith
Boozefighters
Gandydancer
Dark as a Dungeon
Jeff Black
The Road of Kaintuck
June Carter Cash (featuring Johnny Cash)
West Virginia Mine Disaster
Jean Ritchie
I Wonder How the Old Folks Are at Home
Mac Wiseman
When This World Comes to an End
Maggie Hammons
Waiting for a Train
Jimmie Rodgers
Amazing Grace
Rose Bell
How Can A Poor Man Stand These Times and Live
Blind Alfred Reed
Hillbilly Fever
The Osbourne Brother
Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Carter Family
Old Camp Meeting Time
Grandpa Jones
We’re Stole and Sold from Africa
Addie Graham
Working on a Building
Bill Monroe
Northfield
Alabama Sacred Harp Singing Convention
Soldier of the Cross
Ricky Skaggs
Wildwood Flower
The Carter Family
Price of Progress
Jason Ringenberg
Down on the Banks of the Ohio
Blue Sky Boys
Wildwood Flower (Instrumental)
Dave Grisman, Tony Rice
Electricity
Paul Burch
The Appalachians
9
ACADEMIC BENCHMARKS
Click on the McRel standard for detailed benchmarks, broken down by grade: K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12.
See http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/search.asp for the search engine for the McRel database.
UNIT 1: HISTORY & PLACE
SOCIAL STUDIES: GEOGRAPHY
• Standard 4. Understands the physical and human characteristics of place
SOCIAL STUDIES: UNITED STATES HISTORY
• Standard 2. Understands cultural and ecological interactions among previously unconnected people resulting from early
European exploration and colonization
• Standard 3. Understands why the Americas attracted Europeans, why they brought enslaved Africans to their colonies
and how Europeans struggled for control of North America and the Caribbean
•
Standard 4. Understands how political, religious, and social institutions emerged in the English colonies
• Standard 6. Understands the causes of the American Revolution, the ideas and interests involved in shaping the
revolutionary movement, and reasons for the American victory
• Standard 9. Understands the United States territorial expansion between 1801 and 1861, and how it affected relations
with external powers and Native Americans
Benchmark #4: Understands the impact of territorial expansion on Native American tribes (e.g., the Cherokee, Chickasaw,
Choctaw, Creek and Seminole removals, the significance of the Trail of Tears, the original lands held by various tribes of
the Southeast and those held in the Old Northwest territory)
•
Standard 14. Understands the course and character of the Civil War and its effects on the American people
• Standard 18. Understands the rise of the American labor movement and how political issues reflected social and
economic changes
SOCIAL STUDIES: HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING
•
Standard 2. Understands the historical perspective
SCIENCE: GEOLOGY
• Standard 1. Understands the characteristics and uses of maps, globes, and other geographic tools and technologies
•
Standard 2. Knows the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment
•
Standard 4. Understands the physical and human characteristics of place
•
Standard 5. Understands the concept of regions
•
Standard 6. Understands that culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions
•
Standard 12. Understands the patterns of human settlement and their causes
•
Standard 14. Understands how human actions modify the physical environment
•
Standard 15. Understands how physical systems affect human systems
•
Standard 16. Understands the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources
THINKING AND REASONING
• Standard 1. Understands and applies the basic principles of presenting an argument
•
Standard 2. Understands and applies basic principles of logic and reasoning
•
Standard 3. Effectively uses mental processes that are based on identifying similarities and differences
•
Standard 6. Applies decision-making techniques
The Appalachians
10
UNIT 2: PEOPLE
SOCIAL STUDIES: HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING
• Standard 2. Understands the historical perspective
THINKING AND REASONING
• Standard 1. Understands and applies the basic principles of presenting an argument
• Standard 2. Understands and applies basic principles of logic and reasoning
• Standard 3. Effectively uses mental processes that are based on identifying similarities and differences
• Standard 6. Applies decision-making techniques
UNIT 3: MUSIC
MUSIC
• Standard 3. Improvises melodies, variations, and accompaniments
• Standard 4. Composes and arranges music within specified guidelines
• Standard 7. Understands the relationship between music and history and culture
THINKING AND REASONING
• Standard 1. Understands and applies the basic principles of presenting an argument
• Standard 2. Understands and applies basic principles of logic and reasoning
• Standard 3. Effectively uses mental processes that are based on identifying similarities and differences
• Standard 6. Applies decision-making techniques
UNIT 4: TAKE ACTION
SOCIAL STUDIES: CIVICS
• Standard 10. Understands the roles of voluntarism and organized groups in American social and political life
• Standard 11. Understands the role of diversity in American life and the importance of shared values, political beliefs,
and civic beliefs in an increasingly diverse American society
• Standard 16. Understands the major responsibilities of the national government for domestic and foreign policy,
and understands how government is financed through taxation
• Standard 19. Understands what is meant by “the public agenda,” how it is set, and how it is influenced by public opinion
and the media
• Standard 21. Understands the formation and implementation of public policy
• Standard 23. Understands the impact of significant political and nonpolitical developments on the United States and
other nations
• Standard 27. Understands how certain character traits enhance citizens’ ability to fulfill personal and civic
responsibilities
• Standard 28. Understands how participation in civic and political life can help citizens attain individual and public goals
THINKING AND REASONING
• Standard 1. Understands and applies the basic principles of presenting an argument
• Standard 2. Understands and applies basic principles of logic and reasoning
• Standard 3. Effectively uses mental processes that are based on identifying similarities and differences
• Standard 6. Applies decision-making techniques
The Appalachians
11
UNIT 1: HISTORY & PLACE
“[Appalachia] was the
first American frontier.
It is a landscape, a
culture, a frame of mind.”
(Program 1, 00:01)
OVERVIEW
Appalachia is deeply rooted in American history. The mountains marked the western
boundary of colonial America and when Daniel Boone spoke of the wilds “out west”,
he meant Kentucky. Major battles of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars were fought
in Appalachia, and the region’s coal fired the industrial revolution in the U.S., even
though many parts of the region remained without electricity or running water. After
World War II, images of Appalachia became the face of rural poverty and for many, the
region became the “place to leave.”
Note that each one-hour program in The Appalachians is a blend of information
about History & Place, People, and Music.
OBJECTIVES
Students will use information from video clips to investigate and discuss:
“The history of
Appalachia is a history
of…people working for
a living, people helping
build modern America,
that really failed to
benefit from the work
they put in.”
(Program 1, 3:23)
1.
Geography: where is Appalachia? Students will take a look at the region
using maps from the program and from online sources.
2.
Revolutionary War: battle of the “Over-Mountain Men” of Tennessee, the
Whiskey Rebellion.
3.
Civil War: slavery, Harpers Ferry and John Brown, Antietam.
4.
Coal: farmers lose land to the coal mines, strikes at Cabin Creek, Paint
Creek, Matewan, UMW activist of Mother Jones, strip mining and mountaintop
removal.
5.
The Place to Leave: the “War on Poverty” and the rural poor, the land is
lost, and the “Hillbilly Highway.”
ACADEMIC BENCHMARKS
This unit has been aligned with the following McRel1 Academic standards: Social
Studies: Geography, United States History, Historical Understanding; Science:
Geology; and Thinking and Reasoning. For details, see the Academic Benchmarks
section.
“Is Appalachia to become
just like the rest of
modern, urban America,
rootless, tied to a
consumer society?”
(Program 3, 47:10)
LENGTH
Up to five 45-minute class periods may be needed to review the video, plus any
additional time needed to do additional activities.
MATERIALS and INSTRUCTOR PREP
You will need: DVD or VHS copy of The Appalachians, a DVD player or VCR, TV, and
(optional) the companion book and/or CD. Alternately, the DVD can be viewed on a
computer with a DVD drive.
Review the Units and the Program Summaries and choose the material appropriate for
your classroom. Review the video clips. (Approximate time codes are given for each
video segment.)
NOTE: if you are considering using digital video clips from this series as part of a
Powerpoint®, iMovie®, or other classroom presentation, be aware of digital copyright
law. Check with your library/media or technology specialist and/or school district.
ORDERING INFORMATION
To order the VHS or DVD copy of The Appalachians, the companion book, or the CD
of music from the series, see the web site for the Sierra Club (http://sierraclub.org/
appalachia/).
The Appalachians
12
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: History and Place
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
GEOGRAPHY
MAP of Appalachia
(Program 1, 5:26-5:50)
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
“The Appalachian mountain range
is nearly four hundred million years
old. For more than 1500 miles the
chain snakes down from
Canada through New York,
Pennsylvania and all
of West Virginia…”
(Program 1, 4:53)
ASK students to research the
relative ages of the Appalachian and
Rocky Mountains, and/or mountain
ranges where you live.
“Large parts of Kentucky,
Tennessee, Virginia and Maryland
and the Carolinas are dominated by
the…Alleghenies and Cumberlands,
the… Blue Ridge, and the
Great Smoky Mountains…”
(Program 1, 5:26)
Review the map in the program or
download maps3 to see how many
states… ”4 and/or provinces the
Appalachians touch and see the
locations of the mountains/mountain
ranges.5
“The…mountains…marked the
western boundary of colonial
America2…in 1769, a backcountry
explorer forged his way across the
Alleghenies…after traveling…for five
weeks, he and his men came upon
a most remarkable sight.”
Four hundred million years old puts
the birth of the Appalachians in what
geological time period? (Hint: it was
during this geological time period
that the great seams of coal were
laid down.)
Use maps to determine how Daniel
Boone might have crossed the
Alleghenies to Kentucky. How would
you make the trip now? How long
would it take?
“I had gained the summit of a
commanding ridge, and…beheld the
ample plains…below.”
--Daniel Boone-(Program 1, 25:32-25:51)
____________________________
More images of the landscape are
in The Appalachians, the companion
book to this series.
“The Land”, page 6
“Boone could see that the territory
was ripe for farming, and six years
later he established a settlement
in Kentucky. He was flatly defying
British orders to stay east of the
Alleghenies and avoid the French,
who held lands to the west.”
(Program 1, 26:08)
ASK students why settlers would
move west, even though they were
forbidden to do so. What would be
the consequences (pro and con) of
their move?
“Landscape of the Southern.
Appalachians”, page 8
“The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest”,
page 10
“My West Virginia”, page 151
The Appalachians
13
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: History and Place
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
Revolutionary War and aftermath.
(Program 1, 27:04-32:35)
The role of the Cherokee tribes
during the Revolutionary War.
(Program 1, 27:04-32:12)
“My people cannot live independent
of the English.…every necessity of
life we must have from the
white people.”
Chief Skiagunsta, 1745
(Program 1, 27:47)
ASK students what they think the
debate among the Cherokee tribes
might have been per which side to
support during the Revolutionary
War.
Battle of the “Over Mountain Men”
of Tennessee. (Program 1, 33:1435:38)
“The most famous backcountry
fighters were the Over-Mountain
Men of Tennessee, who defeated…
Colonel Ferguson at the battle of
King’s Mountain in South Carolina…
the surprise victory…was a critical
turning point …”
(Program 1, 30:37)
ASK students why the OverMountain Men won this battle.
(The segment talks about several
factors, including fighting styles and
actions/non-actions of Appalachian
residents.)
The Whiskey Rebellion 1791-1794:
many people made a good living as
moonshiners. More money could be
made selling whiskey than selling
the raw materials—corn, rye,
wheat, etc. George Washington’s
government decided to raise money
by taxing whiskey. Violent protests
ensued and 3,000 troops came in to
crush the moonshiners.
(Program 1, 33:14-35:38)
“The settlers…were opposed to this
tax because is was… reminiscent of
the taxes that were imposed on the
colonists under the rule of
King George of England.”
(Program 1, 33:47)
(For more details on the Indian
tribes in Appalachia, see the unit on
People.)
Whiskey (and cigarettes) are still
heavily taxed today. Why? How
much are the taxes? How often are
the taxes raised? By how much?
How is the tax money used?
___________________________
Also see “Moonshine on the
Mountain”, page 84 in The
Appalachians, the companion book
to the series.
The Appalachians
14
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: History and Place
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
CIVIL WAR
Civil War in Appalachia.
(Program 2, 7:49-17:54)
Slavery in Appalachia.
(Program 2, 7:49-11:17)
Abolitionist John Brown and 21
men attack the national arsenal in
Harpers Ferry, in western Virginia.6
He hoped that slaves would join his
rebellion.
“In the 1860 census,
there was one county in all of
Appalachia …that did not
have any slaves.”
(Program 2, 8:40)
Where was the one county without
slaves?
“The attack on Harpers Ferry was
viewed in…much the same light that
we view that attack on the
World Trade Center…”
(Program 2, 11:48)
The events at Harpers Ferry were
considered a turning point in the
events leading up to the Civil War.
Why?
“…my great-grandfather…fought in
the Army of northern Virginia…his
younger brother…enlisted in the
Union Army…my father remembered
these two old men at dinner every
Sunday still fighting the Civil War.”
(Program 2, 13:42)
How would you decide which side to
fight for? Or would you fight at all?
“Along a creek called Antietam, not
far from Harpers Ferry, one of the
bloodiest confrontations of the war
was waged on…more than 4700
soldiers lost their lives.”
(Program 2, 17:46)
Compare the number of casualties
and deaths in Antietam—just one
battle in the Civil War-- to the total
number of casualties in Vietnam,
and/or the Gulf Wars.
Though considered a hero
elsewhere, he was not a hero to the
people in western Virginia.
(Program 2, 10:37-12:13).
An estimated 150,000 Appalachians
fought for the South and 100,000
for the North. (Program 2, 12:33)
Battle of Antietam7
(Program 2, 16:30-17:54)
4700 deaths and 23,000 casualties8
from this one battle.
The song “John Brown’s Body” was
a rallying tune of the time, but was
derived from an older camp meeting
hymn and evolved into the “Battle
Hymn of the Republic”. See the unit
on Music for more information.
________________________
Also see “The Civil War in
Appalachia”, page 33 in The
Appalachians, the companion book
to the series.
The Appalachians
15
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: History and Place
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
“…that they could sever the surface
rights from the mineral rights…”
Investigate: how much of the land in
Appalachia is now under corporate
control?
COAL
Coal mining in Appalachia.
(Program 2, 28:52-51:24).
Strip mining, mountaintop removal.
(Program 3, 31:44-33:20)
Investors buy the mineral rights to
land. (Program 2, 30:11-31:10)
“…what you owned actually was the
skim on top…and you had to pay
taxes on that, and you had to keep
up the road for the coal company.”
(Program 2, 30:11-30:49)
“Jobs in the…mines paid a decent
wage…but ownership had moved
from local hands to the control
of outsiders.”
(Program 2, 31:13)
Life in the mines, racism in the
mines, the company store.
(Program 2, 31:13-36:00)
“There was a myth…that once they
got under the ground, they were
all black. Well, that’s hogwash.”
(Program 2, 32:45)
The company store was a
double-edged sword…
(Program 2, 34:10)
Mine disasters.
(Program 2, 36:00-52:00)
The song heard through this section:
“West Virginia Mine Disaster”, is
explored in the Music unit.
Strikes, 1912: Cabin Creek, Paint
Creek, Mother Jones, Harry Hatfield.
(Program 2, 40:50-46:13)
“Cabin Creek, Paint Creek…a good
example of local people saying…
I’m not going to put up with the way
I’m being treated.”
(Program 2, 41:29)
“…a charismatic organizer for the
United Mine Workers called
Mother Jones.”
(Program 2, 42:09-42:46)
What are some possible
consequences (good and bad) of
having mine ownership move from
local to corporate control?
For more on the diverse peoples of
Appalachia, see the People unit.
What are more positives – and
negatives -- to the company store?
Is there any store still like the
company store in existence?
The families on strike were turned
out of their homes and had little
money. How did they survive?
Investigate the life of Mary Harris
“Mother” Jones. Compare and
contrast Mother Jones’ life with that
of Carrie Nation, another prominent
women activist of the era—or read
the speech 93-year-old activist
Granny D delivered in November
2003 in West Virginia.
Descendents of the Hatfields figured
prominently in ending the labor
strikes. The Hatfield-McCoy feud is
explored in the People unit.
The Appalachians
16
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: History and Place
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
“2000 federal troops came in to put
down the miners. It was the only
time when the government decided
to drop bombs on its own people.”
(Program 2, 49:30-50:10)
What are other examples of when
the U.S. has used federal troops to
quell internal uprisings? Why do you
think federal troops were called in?
COAL (con’t)
Strikes (1920) Matewan Massacre/
Battle of Blair Mountain, Smilin’ Sid
Hatfield.
(Program 2, 46:38 – 51:50)
“Most of these men were World War
I veterans and couldn’t bear the
idea of firing against the same
uniform they had worn…”
(Program 2, 50:10)
Strip Mining.
(Program 3 , 31:44-33:40)
Mountaintop Removal.
(Program 3, 41:05-44:50)
Reclamation after mountaintop
removal. (Program 3, 42:53-43:43)
“Underground coal miners would
not even call that mining…it’s more
heavy construction skills.”
(Program 3, 32:20)
“From the 1980’s…another mining
system has been used…miners shear
off a mountain peak, strip away the
trees and topsoil, then blast away at
the rock to get at the coal.”
(Program 3, 41:10)
“Reclamation is no longer an
afterthought, it is absolutely a
component of operation…”
(Program 3, 43:08)
“…reclamation is like putting
lipstick on a corpse…”
(Program 3, 43:17)
Strip mining and mountaintop
removal are also explored in the
Take Action! unit.
____________________________
More information about coal
mining is in The Appalachians, the
companion book to the series.
“Appalachian Myths and the Legacy
of Coal”, page 75
If coal is used where you live:
Does your electricity come from
coal?
Are there any companies in the area
that use coal? If yes—who?
Is there any alternative fuel that
could be used?
What do you think about the
reclamation program?
Why should you care about
mountaintop removal as long as you
get the fuel you need?
If coal is not used where you live:
What people and/or companies
today still use coal?
Why coal and not another fuel?
What are the fuel options?
What do you think about the
reclamation program?
Why should you care about
mountaintop removal if you don’t
use coal?
“Killing Our Hills: The Devastation of
Mountaintop Removal”, page 171
“Fighting for my Appalachian Home”,
page 180
The Appalachians
17
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: History and Place
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
THE PLACE TO LEAVE
The Army Corps of Engineers builds
dams and floods family farms.
(Program 3, 38:20-41:00)
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
“It was more than just the land…
We lost the community.
We lost the people.”
(Program 3, 39:37)
In the 1960s a series of news
reports once again portray the
mountain people as poor and
backward.
(Program 3, 33:40-38:00)
“When Lyndon Johnson declared a
War on Poverty in 1964, the media
returned in force to Appalachia.”
(Program 3, 36:02)
What are some negative descriptions
of poor people?
After World War II, economy and
opportunities dry up and families
begin to leave. However, most of
those who left still consider the
mountains “home”.
(Program 3, 26:50 – 31:30)
“Route 23 north to Columbus…they
called it the Hillbilly Highway…”
(Program 3, 28:48)
How many people/families do you
know who have been displaced from
the place they once called “home”?
Why did they leave?
“…home was always back in the
mountains…we found ourselves with
one foot in modern America and
one foot back home in Appalachia.”
(Program 3, 31:20)
How many people/families do you
know that still have a geographical
place that they call “home”? Why do
they stay?
For more on the “hillbilly”
stereotype, see the People unit.
What are some positive descriptions
of poor people?
___________________________
More information is in The
Appalachians, the companion book
to the series.
“A Hillbilly Timeline”, page 109
“Readin’, Writin’ and Route 21: The
Road from West Virginia to Ohio”,
page 142
Mid Continent Center for Research and Learning, http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/search.asp
The English owned lands to the east of the Appalachians, and the French, lands to the west.
For more maps of the region, see the Encyclopedia of Appalachia (East Tennessee State University) at http://cass.etsu.edu/encyclo/region.htm .
The maps at http://www.peakbagger.com include the Canadian Appalachians.
1
2
3
www.sierraclub.org/appalachia
The Appalachians touch thirteen eastern states: New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio.
4
5
6
7
8
Harper’s Ferry National Park is in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland.
Also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg in the South.
http://en.wilipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Antietam
The Appalachians
18
UNIT 2: PEOPLE
“One of the sure ways to
tell if someone is from
the mountains…is…do
you know where you’re
going to be buried?
Many mountain people
know …they want to be
buried back in the family
cemetery.”
(Program 3, 48:51)
OVERVIEW
The original residents of the Appalachians were native tribes: Shawnee, Creek,
Choctaw, and Cherokee. The British “gave” Indian land to the colonists after the
Revolutionary War. Thousands of soldiers received homesteads on the former Indian
lands. Despite losing much of their land, many Indians adapted and prospered as
farmers, but all were ultimately forced out of Appalachia on the infamous Trail of Tears.
Among the very first European settlers were the Scots-Irish, considered the most
influential and colorful residents of Appalachia. They were not the only immigrants:
over the years they were joined by settlers from Eastern Europe, Germany, Italy and
African slaves.
Through the years, the residents of Appalachia have also been dogged by the
stereotype of the violent, not-too-bright hillbilly: the feuding Hatfield and McCoy
families, moonshiners, L’il Abner, the Beverly Hillbillies.
OBJECTIVES
Students will use information from video clips to investigate and discuss the people of
Appalachia. Students have an opportunity to:
•
•
•
•
study the early history and contemporary life of the Cherokee tribe;
trace the migration of the Scots to Ireland and to America;
examine the realities and stereotypes of the hillbilly and the rural poor; and
look at religious diversity in Appalachia.
ACADEMIC BENCHMARKS
This unit has been aligned with the following McRel1 Academic standards: Social
Studies: Historical Understanding; and Thinking and Reasoning. For details, see the
Academic Benchmarks section.
LENGTH
One or two 45-minute class periods will be needed to review the video, plus additional
time as needed to do related activities.
MATERIALS and INSTRUCTOR PREP
You will need: DVD or VHS copy of The Appalachians, DVD player or VCR, TV, and
(optional) the companion book and/or CD. Alternately, the DVD can be viewed on a
computer with a DVD drive.
Review this Unit and the Program Summaries and choose the material appropriate for
your classroom. Review the video clips. (Approximate time codes are given for each
video segment.)
NOTE: if you are considering using digital video clips from this series as part of a
Powerpoint®, iMovie®, or other classroom presentation, be aware of digital copyright
law. Check with your library/media or technology specialist and/or school district.
ORDERING INFORMATION
To order the VHS or DVD copy of The Appalachians, the companion book, or the CD
of music from the series, see the web site for the Sierra Club (http://sierraclub.org/
appalachia/).
The Appalachians
19
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: People
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Cherokee Tribes
Cherokee culture, farmers
(Program 1, 6:42)
Prominent role of Cherokee women.
(Program 1, 7:56)
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
“The Cherokees, in the space of a
single generation, became ‘civilized’.
They became literate.
They developed an alphabet,.
They developed a government.
They settled down…”
(Program 2, 3:10)
Investigate the Cherokee tribe
today. http://www.cherokee.org
“What did we do, how did we speak,
how did we err this way, and who is
to blame for the trail of tears we all
have walked this day?”
Chief Tom Thunderhorse
(Program 2, 7:03)
How many Cherokee started on the
march to Oklahoma?
“After a century in Ulster, the
Scotch Irish were suffering religious
persecution, rising rents and bad
harvests. Tens of thousands moved
on…to the southern mountain
wilderness of Appalachia.”
(Program 1, 13:26)
Trace the migration of the Scots to
Ireland, to America…and then
throughout North America.
(See Map at 12:28-12:51.)
Clans, kinship, war, Europeans and
Africans marrying into tribes.
(Program 1, 8:24-10:31)
Cherokee farmers are slave owners.
(Program 2, 2:30)
Trail of Tears
Thomas Jefferson, assimilating the
Indian tribes. (Program 2, 1:32)
Successful Cherokee farmers are
envied by white settlers.
(Program 2, 2:06)
President Andrew Jackson supports
the removal of the Cherokee to
Oklahoma. (Program 2, 4:00)
5000 Cherokee die on the Trail of
Tears. (Program 2, 5:20-7:40)
The Scots-Irish
1730: Immigration from Germany,
England, Wales and the most
prominent immigrants, the ScotsIrish. (Program 1, 11:38)
History of the Scots-Irish in Europe.
(Program 1, 12:28)
Whiskey making.
(Program 1, 16:54)
Scots-Irish bring their traditional
music with them.
(Program 1, 17:35-23:48)
Other Immigrants
New wave of immigrants from
Eastern and Southern Europe, and
African Americans from the South
come to work in the coal mines.
(Program 2, 31:42-32:52)
“And it was said…that…when the
English got to America they would
build a church, the Germans would
build a barn, but the Scotch-Irish
would build a whiskey still.”
(Program 1, 16:17)
The Appalachians
20
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: People
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Quotes
Feuds and Stereotypes
The Hatfields and the McCoys.
(Program 2, 18:54-27:00)
“…the most notorious family feud
in American history would send
images of violent, backward
mountain men roaring across the
newspaper headlines…”
(Program 2, 18:54)
Hillbilly stereotypes.
(Program 2, 27:10-28:04)
“Before the middle of the 1880’s,
newspapers…these people were a
little backward, they were country
bumpkins, but…a little romantic…
…but after the 1880’s… investors
say these people are obstructionist…
violent…barbaric…”
(Program 2, 27:28)
Between 1910 and 1916,
Nickelodeons2 feature approximately
three hundred different flickers
about moonshining or mountain
feuds.”
(The Appalachians, page 109)
Stereotype of the Rural Poor
John F. Kennedy visits Appalachia
(Program 3, 34:04)
Walter Cronkite (Program 3, 35:13)
Lyndon Johnson, War on Poverty
(Program 3, 36:00)
Charles Kuralt, “Christmas in
Appalachia”. (Program 3, 36:46)
“…widespread pictures of raggedy
children on ramshackle porches
outraged a lot of local people…”
(Program 3, 36:02)
Classroom Questions & Activities
The Hatfield/McCoy feud was a
sensational media story of the day.
What stories are getting coverage
today?
How did investors and others push
the image of the backward hillbilly
to their own benefit?
What are some of the negative and
positive perceptions of poor or rural
people?
Are similar, damaging images of
other people being presented in the
media now?
How would students characterize the
“hillbilly” stereotype? Are there any
examples in the media now?3
Why did Walter Cronkite, Charles
Kuralt and others concentrate on the
“raggedy children”? How could they
have produced a more balanced
view of Appalachia?
VISTA Program
(Program 3, 37:42)
The Appalachians
21
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: People
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Religious Diversity
(Program 1, 36:13-44:32)
Religion is physical and emotional
(Program 1, 38:00)
Anglican, Baptist, Protestant,
Presbyterian, Calvinistic—especially
John Wesley and Methodism.
(Program 1, 37:43-40:23)
Evangelical, religious revivals
(Program 1, 40:53-44:32
Radio preachers yesterday and
today. (Program 3, 21:11-25:23)
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
“Baptists… we’ve got well over 40
varieties…Old Regular Baptists,
Union, Separate, Two Seed in the
Spirit Predestination Baptists…”
(Program 1, 37:00)
Why do students think there are still
so many different religious sects in
Appalachia?
“Tied together by radio preachers
and a wide variety of small
mountain churches, religion has
remained a powerful force in the
daily life of Appalachia.”
(Program 3, 22:54)
_________________________
More stories of the mountain
people are in The Appalachians, the
companion book to the series.
“Mountain Melting Pot”, page 20
“Appalachia’s Scots-Irish Ancestry”,
page 27
“The Great Mountain Feud”, page 70
“Hillbilly Timeline”, page 109
“A West Virginia Life”, page 122
“Blue Kentucky Girl”, page 131
“Religion in Appalachia: Examples of
the Diversity”, page 144
“Preaching to the Chickens”, page
192
“The Jolo Church of the Lord Jesus”,
page 194
“The Picture Man”, page 200
“The Quare Gene”, page 206
“Full Circle”, page 216
1
2
3
Mid Continent Center for Research and Learning, http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/search.asp
Students may need background information on what the original “nickelodeon” was.
Li’l Abner, Andy Griffith Show, Beverly Hillbillies, Hee-Haw, The Waltons, Cletus & Brandine Spuckler on The Simpsons, and so forth.
The Appalachians
22
UNIT 3: MUSIC
“In the 20th century…
mountain people
took their stories and
songs and created a
phenomenon… But the
music… has roots that go
back hundreds of years.”
(Program 3, 00:31)
“Country music takes us
back to the…songs and
instruments that 18th
century pioneers had
brought from Europe.
For three hundred years,
Appalachians have
learned to sing the story
of their lives.”
(Program 3, 1:11)
“I was playing with the
Chieftains one day and I
was playing this bowing
technique… ‘Where did
you learn that?’ …and
I said an old man in
eastern Kentucky and he
said, that’s the way we
play in Donegal...I was
flipped out to realize that
had come over centuries
ago.” (Ricky Skaggs,
Program 1, 18:08)
OVERVIEW
The traditional music of the Scots-Irish immigrants—among the first white settlers
in the Appalachians—became the backbone of country and bluegrass music. The
traditional tunes, blended with the music of many other immigrants, most notably,
African-Americans, became gospel music, rhythm-and-blues, rock-and-roll.
This unit contains a list of all the songs and artists heard in The Appalachians,
including program number and time codes.
OBJECTIVES
Students will use information from video clips to investigate and discuss:
•
the ballad form and its connections to modern music;
•
how the song remains the same though the lyrics may change; and
�how music is disseminated to listeners.
ACADEMIC BENCHMARKS
This unit has been aligned with the McRel1 Academic standards for Music and Thinking
and Reasoning. For details, see the Academic Benchmarks section.
LENGTH
Up to two 45-minute class periods may be needed to review the video, plus any
additional time needed to do additional activities.
MATERIALS and INSTRUCTOR PREP
You will need: DVD or VHS copy of The Appalachians, a DVD player or VCR, and TV
and (optional) the companion book and/or CD. Alternately, the DVD can be viewed on
a computer with a DVD drive.
Review the Unit, the Program Summaries, and the Resources and choose the material
appropriate for your classroom. Review the video clips. (Approximate time codes are
given for each video segment.)
NOTE: if you are considering using digital video clips from this series as part of a
Powerpoint®, iMovie®, or other classroom presentation, be aware of digital copyright
law. Check with your library/media or technology specialist and/or school district.
ORDERING INFORMATION
To order the VHS or DVD copy of The Appalachians, the companion book, or the CD
of music from the series, see the web site for the Sierra Club (http://sierraclub.org/
appalachia/).
The Appalachians
23
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: Music
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
Music Overview
(Program 1, 16:54-24:10)
Troubadours
Traditional music travels with ScotsIrish immigrants.
(Program 1, 17:35-23:48))
Ballads
Ballads are story songs.
(Program 1, 19:55)
“Banks of the Ohio” sung by several
musicians.
(Program 1, 21:22-23:50)
“… it comes from the troubadours…
14th-16th century. They traveled
the country, they would stay at a
farmhouse, they would write a song
for the person who lived there…
he paid with a song.”
(Johnny Cash, Program 1, 20:04)
“Many of these songs dealt with
archetypical themes that soap
operas today deal with: deception,
betrayal, murder and true love…
‘Barbara Allen’ is the classic
example…
Later on…Americans took hold of
the models to create new songs
around them.”
(Program 1, 20:39)
The lyrics to “Banks of the Ohio” are
in the Resources for this unit.
Compare and contrast these lyrics
with those of “Barbara (Barbry)
Allen” a ballad dating back to the
1600’s.
Compare these ballads to a newer
song: “West Virginia Mine Disaster”
(Program 2, 36:00-39:44)
How are the stories told?
Abolitionist John Brown and 21
men attack the national arsenal in
Harpers Ferry, in western Virginia.2
He hoped that slaves would join his
rebellion.
Though considered a hero
elsewhere, he was not a hero to the
people in western Virginia.
(Program 2, 10:37-12:13).
“If you’re going to have fun singing
a good ballad you got to learn
something. On many American
songs you have tied to the end of
the ballad, a moral.”
(Program 1, 22:13)
What are the morals?
“The attack on Harpers Ferry was
viewed in…much the same light that
we view that attack on the
World Trade Center…”
(Program 2, 11:48)
The tune may remain the same
while new lyrics evolve. The song
“John Brown’s Body” was a rallying
tune from the Civil War, but was
derived from an older camp meeting
hymn titled “Say Brothers, Will You
Meet Us?” and evolved into the
“Battle Hymn of the Republic”.
Folk ballads are constantly
evolving—try your hand at creating
another verse for these songs. Or
use the music and create an entirely
new ballad…rap…or other song form.
Compare and contrast the three sets
of lyrics to this tune. Note how the
song seems to get longer and longer
with each rewrite. What is the story
that each version is trying to tell? Is
there a moral?
The Appalachians
24
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: Music
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
Instruments
Irish fiddle, German dulcimer, Italian
mandolin, Spanish guitar, African
banjo. (Program 3, 1:43)
“Although black folks have not
been a very large percentage of the
population in the mountains,
they were hugely influential
on the music...”
(Program 3, 2:29)
Why did the fiddle, banjo, guitar and
other stringed instruments become
the mainstay of mountain music?
Why not (for instance) the trumpet,
drums or accordion?
Blending of African and American
traditions. (Program 1, 49:24 and
Program 3, 2:29)
Appalachian String band: fiddle,
banjo, guitar. (Program 3, 3:10)
Religion and Music
(Program 1, 36:34-52:20)
Call-and-Response
(Program 1, 45:26)
Lined-out Hymns and
Shape-Note Music
(Program 1, 46:41-49:20)
Radio Preachers & Music
(Program 3, 21:11-25:23)
Radio and Recording
Coming of radio.
(Program 3, 4:10-7:58)
1925—80-year-old Uncle Jimmy
Thompson plays mountain music on
his fiddle live on radio station WSM.
Beginning of the Grand Old Opry.
(Program 3, 7:58-11:00)
Term “hillbilly music” insulting to the
mountain people. Music came to be
called “country”. (Program 3, 10:15)
“God and music go
hand-in-hand…”
(Program 1, 44:44)
For more on Religious diversity in
the Appalachians, see the People
unit.
“They created blood-stirring songs
to fit the new emotional religion,
songs that would become classics of
gospel and bluegrass.”
(Program 1, 49:24)
“The poor people out in the
country who never afforded
themselves even the most
primitive of luxuries would
invest in radios…because that
was a means to connect with
the
outside world.”
(Program 3, 4:18)
Imagine the music industry today if
there were no broadcasts: radio, TV,
Internet.
What if there were no videotape,
audiotape, records, DVDs, or
movies?
What if you couldn’t read music or
there was no sheet music?
How would you find the music you
wanted to listen to?
1927--first recording artists: Jimmie
Rogers, Carter Family.
(Program 3, 11:15-14:05)
How would you learn the music you
wanted to sing or play?
Radio preachers yesterday and
today. (Program 3, 21:11-25:23)
(See the unit on People for more on
the hillbilly stereotype.)
The Appalachians
25
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: Music
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Quotes
Classroom Questions & Activities
More information about music is in
The Appalachians, the companion
book to the series.
“Storytelling in Appalachia”, page 38
“The Bristol Sessions”, page 88
“The Story of My Family: The Carter
Family”, page 97
“Falling in Love with the Carters”,
page 103
“Religion in Appalachia: Examples of
the Diversity”, page 144
“Preaching to the Chickens”, page
192
“The Jolo Church of the Lord Jesus”,
page 194
The Appalachians
26
RESOURCES: Music
Banks of the Ohio3
Barbara (Barbry) Allen4
I asked my love to take a walk,
Just a little way’s with me.
An’ as we walked,
Then we would talk
All about our wedding day.
In scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling
Made many a youth cry well a day
Her name was Barbara Allen
CHORUS:
“Darlin’, say that you’ll be mine;
In our home we’ll happy be,
Down beside where the waters flow,
On the banks of the Ohio.”
I took her by her pretty white hand,
I led her down the banks of sand,
I plunged her in
Where she would drown,
An’ watched her as she floated down.
CHORUS
Returnin’ home between twelve and one,
Thinkin’, Lord, what a deed I’ve done;
I’d killed the girl
I love, you see,
Because she would not marry me.
The very next day, at half past four,
The sheriff walked right to my door;
He says, “Young man,
Don’t try to run.
You’ll pay for this awful crime you’ve done.”
CHORUS
Verses of “Banks of the Ohio” are sung by Chris Jones,
Rosanne and Johnny Cash, and Clarence Ashley in
Program 1 (21:51-23:50).
It was in the merry month of May
When green buds they were swelling
Sweet William came from the west country
And he courted Barbara Allen
Well, slowly, slowly got she up
And slowly went she nigh him
But all she said as she passed his bed
Young man I think you’re dying
Then lightly tripped she down the stairs
She heard those church bells tolling
And each bell seemed to say as it tolled
Hard hearted Barbara Allen
O, mother, mother go make my bed
And make it long and narrow
Sweet William died for me today
I’ll die for him tomorrow
They buried Barbara in the old church yard
They buried Sweet William beside her
Out of his grave grew a red, red rose
And out of hers a briar
They grew and grew up the old church wall
Till they could grow no higher
And at the top twined a lover’s knot
The red rose and the briar.
Verses of “Barby Allen” are sung by “an old Scots Lady”
and Frank Profitt in Program 1 (16:34-19:53).
The Appalachians
27
RESOURCES: Music
The lyrics for “John Brown’s Body” are also in The Appalachians, the companion book to the series. See pages 34 and 35.
Say Brothers Will You Meet Us?
William Steffe (1858)
Say, brothers will you meet us,
Say, brothers will you meet us,
Say, brothers will you meet us,
On Canaan’s happy shore?
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
For-ever, evermore!
(The music for this song is credited
to William Steffe, 1858.)
John Brown’s Body (1859)5
John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering
in the grave,
John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering
in the grave,
But his soul goes marching on.
Chorus:
Glory, glory, hallelujah,
Glory, glory, hallelujah,
His soul goes marching on.
He’s gone to be a soldier in the
Army of the Lord,
He’s gone to be a soldier in the
Army of the Lord,
His soul goes marching on.
Chorus
John Brown’s knapsack is strapped
upon his back,
John Brown’s knapsack is strapped
upon his back,
His soul goes marching on.
Chorus
John Brown died that the slaves
might be free,
John Brown died that the slaves
might be free,
His soul goes marching on.
Chorus
The stars above in Heaven now are
looking kindly down,
The stars above in Heaven now are
looking kindly down,
His soul goes marching on.
Chorus
Battle Hymn of the Republic
(Julia Ward Howe, 1861)
Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage
Where the grapes of wrath are
stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning
Of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Chorus
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
I have seen Him in the watchfires
Of a hundred circling camps
They have built Him an altar
In the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence
By the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.
Chorus
I have read a fiery gospel writ
In burnished rows of steel:
“As ye deal with My condemners,
So with you My grace shall deal”:
Let the Hero born of woman
Crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.
Chorus
He has sounded forth the trumpet
That shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men
Before His judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer
Him;
Be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.
Chorus
In the beauty of the lilies
Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom
That transfigures you and me;
As He died to make men holy,
Let us die to make men free;
While God is marching on.
Chorus
The Appalachians
28
RESOURCES: Music
“When you had the whole family
working in the mine, then there’s
an explosion, every male in the
family is wiped out…then your
widow or your family would be put
out…they had to leave.”
(Program 2, 39:17)
West Virginia Mine Disaster
© Jean Ritchie, Geordie Music Publishing
Oh Say, did you see him; it was early this morning.
He passed by your houses on his way to the coal.
He was tall, he was slender, and his dark eyes so tender
His occupation was mining, West Virginia his home
It was just before noon, I was feeding the children,
Ben Moseley came running to give us the news.
Number eight was all flooded, many men were in danger
And we don’t know their number, but we fear they’re all doomed
I picked up the baby and I left all the others
To comfort each other and to pray for their own
There’s Tommy, fourteen, and there’s John not much younger
And their time soon is coming to go down the dark hole
What will I say to his poor little children?
And what will I tell his dear mother at home?
And it’s what will I say to my heart that’s clear broken?
To my heart that’s clear broken if my darling is gone
If I had the money to do more than just feed them
I’d give them good learning, the best could be found
So when they growed up they’d be checkers and weighers
And not spend their whole life in the dark underground
Oh say, did you see him; it was early this morning.
He passed by your houses on his way to the coal
He was tall, he was slender, and his dark eyes so tender
His occupation was mining, West Virginia his home.
“West Virginia Mine Disaster” is sung by Jean Ritchie in Program 2 (37:11-40:00) and is on the companion CD to this series.
(The Appalachians, Dualtone Records)
The Appalachians
29
RESOURCES: Music
SONGS IN PROGRAM 1
Short clips of many more songs are heard in each program.
Song
East of River Shannon (title theme)
Artist
Arlene Faith
Time code
00:01-1:10
Foggy Mountain Top
Marty Stuart
2:09-2:25
Cherokee Quail Dance
Quail Flute
Corn and Women
Ritual Dance
Old Cumberland
6:55-9:14
Ponder
Ramblin’ Boy
Corn Licker
Boiled Cabbage
12:00-15:25
16:33-16:51
Barbry Allen
“Old Scots Lady”
18:34-18:57
Barbry Allen
Frank Profitt
19:29-19:53
Banks of the Ohio
Chris Jones
21:51-22:26
Banks of the Ohio
Rosanne & Johnny Cash
22:40-23:06
Banks of the Ohio
Clarence Ashley
23:20-23:40
Road to Kaintuck
June Carter Cash, Johnny Cash
25:00-25:18
Booze Fighters
Gandy Dancer
33:07-35:37
Rock of Ages (hummed)
38:50-39:39
Amazing Grace (violin instrumental)
Rose Bell
44:32-46:15
Workin’ on a Building
Bill Monroe
49:24-50:15
Soldier of the Cross
Ricky Skaggs
50:24-52:20
Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies
52:00-53:20
The Appalachians
30
SONGS IN PROGRAM 2
Short clips of many more songs are heard in each program.
Song
East of River Shannon (title theme)
Artist
Arlene Faith
Whay Ha Whay
We’re Stole and Sold from Africa
Time code
00:20-1:00
1:28-2:10
Addie Graham
8:00-8:48
North and South
Battle of Antietam/Two Brothers
13:03-17:40
Code in the Mountains
18:44-26:53
Dark as a Dungeon
Jeff Black
35:56-37:10
West Virginia Mine Disaster
Jean Ritchie
37:11-39:44
Which Side Are You On?
Pete Seeger
51:24-52:20
Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies
52:21-53:20
The Appalachians
31
RESOURCES: Music
SONGS IN PROGRAM 3
Short clips of many more songs are heard in each program.
Song
East of River Shannon (title theme)
Artist
Arlene Faith
OPENING SEQUENCE
Ricky Skaggs
That’s Why I’m Country
Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton
Country Music Association
(CMA) Performance
You’re Looking at Country
Loretta Lynn
Country Music Association
(CMA) Performance
Pretty Little Miss
Jean Ritchie
1:34-1:54
Little Old Cabin in the Lane
Uncle John Scruggs
(with banjo and dancing kids)
2:05-3:05
Hillbilly Fever
Osborne Brothers
9:51-11:13
Waiting for a Train
Jimmie Rogers
11:29-11:47
Bury Me Deep Beneath the Willow
Carter Family
12:51-13:09
How Can a Poor Man
Stand Such Times and Live?
Blind Alfred Reed
14:13-15:00
Soldier of Joy
(Soldier’s Joy)
FDR listening to local musicians
17:02-17:13
Electricity
Paul Burch
19:57-21:23
When This World Comes to an End
(I Believe in Being Ready)
Maggie Hammons
23:13-23:58
Keep on the Sunny Side
Carter Family
25:23-26:13
Going Nowhere Fast
Blue Plate Special
28:28-29:07
I Wonder How the Old Folks
Are at Home
Mac Wiseman
30:14-30:34
Black Waters
Jean Ritchie
31:13-32:17
Price of Progress
Jason Ringenberg
38:19-41:17
East of River Shannon
Arlene Faith
44:18-46:52
Coal Miner’s Daughter
Loretta Lynn
47:42-48:04
Cabin on the Hill
Flatt and Scruggs
48:35-49:40
Forty Shades of Green
Rosanne and Johnny Cash
51:35-52:47
Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies
Time code
00:01-00:15
00:15-00:30
52:47-53:20
The Appalachians
32
Songs on the Companion CD
The Appalachians (Dualtone Records)
Amazing Grace
Rose Bell
Price of Progress
Jason Ringenberg
Banks of the Ohio
Blue Sky Boys
Shape Note Singing
(Recorded by George Pullen Jackson and Alan Lomax
1942)
Boozefighters
Gandydancer
Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Carter Family
Cabin on the Hill
Flatt & Scruggs
Dark as a Dungeon
Jeff Black
East of River Shannon (title theme)
Arlene Faith
Electricity
Paul Burch
Forty Shades of Green
Roseanne and Johnny Cash
Hillbilly Fever
The Osbourne Brothers
How Can A Poor Man Stand These Times and Live
Blind Alfred Reed
Soldier of the Cross
Ricky Skaggs
Waiting for a Train
Jimmie Rodgers
We’re Stole and Sold from Africa
Addie Graham
West Virginia Mine Disaster
Jean Ritchie
When This World Comes to an End
Maggie Hammons
Which Side are You On
Pete Seeger
Wildwood Flower (Instrumental)
Dave Grisman, Tony Rice
Working on a Building
Bill Monroe
I Wonder How the Old Folks Are at Home
Mac Wiseman
The Appalachians
33
UNIT 4: TAKE ACTION!
“The region can be
defined …on how people
who have power and
wealth have been able
to use power and wealth
and drain the counties…
Coal, lumber seeps out.”
(Program 1, 3:23)
“My favorite
characterization of
reclamation is that it’s
like putting lipstick on a
corpse…it’s just rock…
they throw hydroseed
on it…and then they’re
expecting something to
grow on that.”
(Program 3, 43:17)
OVERVIEW
Appalachia today is threatened by logging, mountaintop removal and other kinds of
coal mining, plus mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. What can you do?
OBJECTIVES
Students will review information from video clips and the Sierra Club website to
gain background information on coal mining today in Appalachia. Students have the
opportunity use that information to take action.
ACADEMIC BENCHMARKS
This unit has been aligned with the McRel1 Academic standards for Social Studies:
Civics; and Thinking and Reasoning. For details, see the Academic Benchmarks
section.
LENGTH
One 45-minute class periods may be needed to review the video, plus any additional
time needed to do additional activities.
MATERIALS and INSTRUCTOR PREP
You will need: DVD or VHS copy of The Appalachians, a DVD player or VCR, TV and
(optional) the companion book and/or CD. Alternately, the DVD can be viewed on a
computer with a DVD drive.
Review this Unit and the Program Summaries and choose the material appropriate for
your classroom. Review the video clips. (Approximate time codes are given for each
video segment.)
NOTE: if you are considering using digital video clips from this series as part of a
Powerpoint®, iMovie®, or other classroom presentation, be aware of digital copyright
law. Check with your library/media or technology specialist and/or school district.
ORDERING INFORMATION
To order the VHS or DVD copy of The Appalachians, the companion book, or the CD
of music from the series, see the web site for the Sierra Club (http://sierraclub.org/
appalachia/).
The Appalachians
34
VIEWING ACTIVITIES: Take Action!
Look and listen for the following key points in preparation for classroom discussion and other activities.
Time codes will vary among VHS decks and DVD players.
Viewing
Quotes
Review history of coal mining
in Appalachia. (Program 2,
29:00-51:24).
“…exploitation of the
Appalachian land is
devastating. It’s not
just the resources
you’re taking, you’re
taking away the
identity with the land.”
(Program 3, 44:35)
Consequences of Strip
Mining
Landowner’s protest.
(Program 3, 33:07)
Why mountaintop removal?
(Program 3, 42:26-43:08)
Reclamation
(Program 3, 42:53-43:43)
From Unit 1: Place and
History, page 6
If coal is used where you
live:
Does your electricity come
from coal?
Are there any companies
in the area that use coal?
If yes—who?
Floods. (Program 3, 33:20)
Mountaintop removal
Process. (Program 3, 41:05)
Classroom Activities2
“From the 1980’s…
another mining system
has been used…miners
shear off a mountain
peak, strip away the
trees and topsoil, then
blast away at the rock
to get at the coal.”
(Program 3, 41:10)
“Reclamation is no
longer an afterthought,
it is absolutely
a component of
operation…”
(Program 3, 43:08)
“…reclamation is like
putting lipstick on
a corpse…”
(Program 3, 43:17)
Is there any alternative
fuel that could be used?
What do you think about
the reclamation program?
Why should you care about
mountaintop removal as
long as you get the fuel
you need?
If coal is not used where
you live:
What people and/or
companies today still use
coal?
Why coal and not another
fuel? What are the fuel
options?
What do you think about
the reclamation program?
Why should I care about
mountaintop removal if
don’t use coal?
____________________
More information is available
from The Appalachians,
the companion book to the
series.
“Appalachian Myths and the
Legacy of Coal”, page 75
“Killing Our Hills: The
Devastation of Mountaintop
Removal”, page 171
“Fighting for my Appalachian
Home”, page 180
Resources
Sierra Club
Learn More About
Mountaintop Removal:
The current administration
wants to weaken the rules
about dumping mining
waste in streams. Click
here. Or download this
informative fact sheet.
Julia Bonds: Read the
Sierra magazine article
about how a coal miner’s
daughter and others stood
up to King Coal.
Blair Mountain: Find out
why the Sierra Club and
others would like to see
it added to the National
Register of Historic Places.
Granny D: Read the
speech this 93-year-old
activist delivered when
she visited West Virginia in
November 2003.
Related Links:
Environmental Justice
Program in Appalachia
Southern Appalachia
Highlands Ecosystem
Program
Great Smoky Mountains
Campaign
Sierra Club Entities in
Appalachia
Alabama Chapter
Georgia Chapter
Kentucky Chapter
Maryland Chapter
North Carolina Chapter
Pennsylvania Chapter
South Carolina Chapter
Tennessee Chapter
Virginia Chapter
West Virginia
Other Organizations
Ohio Valley Environmental
Coalition
Citizens Coal Council (CCC)
Appalachian Voices (AV)
Appalachian Center for the
Economy and the Environment
The Appalachians
35